Bute Park

Bute Park: From Castle Grounds to City Green

Bute Park’s history stretches back hundreds of years, shaped by Cardiff Castle, the River Taff and the changing needs of the city around it. What is now Cardiff’s green heart has evolved through centuries of industry, private ownership and public use.

Medieval Origins

In the 1100s, the land that would become Bute Park was dominated by the castle and the River Taff. It was used for small industries, religious activity and agriculture — reflecting Cardiff’s role at the time as both a trading settlement and an important religious centre.

The Bute Family

By 1766, the Bute family inherited Cardiff Castle. During the late 18th and 19th centuries, they began to reshape the land surrounding it, bringing separate areas together and laying out pleasure gardens around the castle grounds.

Landscape designer Andrew Pettigrew worked closely with architect William Burges to create grounds that complemented the ornate vision being realised inside the castle itself.

Opening to the Public

In 1855, the Bute family closed Cooper’s Fields to public access. Two years later, Sophia Gardens was opened to the public as compensation for the loss of land on the east side of the river — land that would later form part of Bute Park.

Andrew Pettigrew formally joined the Bute Estate in 1873 as head gardener to the Third Marquess of Bute. Working alongside Burges, he played a key role in shaping the park’s layout, planting and architectural features.

During the late 1800s, William Burges’ distinctive designs were added, including the Swiss Bridge and the Animal Wall, both of which became defining features of the landscape.

A Gift to the City

In 1947, the Fifth Marquess of Bute gifted Cardiff Castle and its grounds to the people of Cardiff. The land officially became a public park and opened on 15 April 1949, marking a major moment in the city’s history.

Bute Park Today

Today, Bute Park is the green heart of Cardiff. It provides a haven for wildlife, an extensive arboretum, and a setting for major public events, all within walking distance of the city centre.

Following public interest, the park underwent a major restoration between 2010 and 2014, supported by a £3.1 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project focused on restoring historic and horticultural features, improving access for all visitors, creating the Visitor Centre, renovating West Lodge — now known as Pettigrew Tea Rooms — and cleaning and repairing the Animal Wall.

From medieval working land to carefully designed parkland, Bute Park remains one of Cardiff’s most important and loved spaces.

Secret Garden Café

The Secret Garden Café is an independent café tucked away in the heart of Bute Park, known for its strong environmental values and relaxed park-side setting. It is a Green Key–accredited business, recognised for its commitment to sustainability.

The café focuses on locally sourced, seasonal and organic ingredients, with everything made in-house by the team. Coffee is a big deal here too, with speciality beans sourced from a rotating selection of specialist roasters and full attention given to supply-chain transparency.

Did You Know?

For every hot drink sold, the café donates 10p to Wildlife Trusts South and West Wales, supporting conservation work across the region.

The team also helped kickstart the Bute Park Community Orchard project, playing a hands-on role in bringing food growing and biodiversity back into the park.

Toilets are available on site, including accessible and baby-changing facilities.

The café is open seven days a week during winter, from 9:00am to 4:00pm.